Tuesday’s elections narrowed down the three Democratic candidates for city council at-large seat who will be up for election in November.
After Tuesday’s primary elections, the Athens County Democratic Party has narrowed down its three candidates for at-large seats on the Athens City Council.
Joan Kraynanski, Jennifer Cochran and Peter Kotses secured their candidacy Tuesday night in the primary elections, and will be running against the Republican candidates for three at-large council seats in November’s elections, according to the unofficial election results released by the Athens Board of Elections.
A total of 2,563 ballots were cast, a 5.7 percent voter rate, Debbie Quivey, director of the Athens County Board of Elections, said.
There were 2,462 ballots cast in the race for City Council.
Kotses secured a majority of the votes, with a total of 744, or 30 percent of the vote.
Cochran followed with 577 votes, about 23 percent, and Kraynanski received 376 votes, about 15 percent.
“I’m very pleased,” Cochran said of the other two candidates. “I think that Peter will bring some great perspective and experience as a bicyclist… (and) I think that Joan has a lot of valuable experience to share with us from her time on the Board of Zoning Appeals.”
Kraynanski also said she was pleased with the results.
“We’re all excited and we’re just sitting here enjoying the moment,” she said.
The at-large council position was the only local office that had contenders in this year’s election. All of the other candidates ran unopposed.
Six people ran for the position on the Democratic ticket.
Maxine Rantane, who walked away with 318 votes, said she was disappointed, but plans to continue being involved in city council as a citizen voice.
“I’m glad they won, and that it’s over,” she said. “And I'm sorry that I lost, but that’s the way it is.”
She said, as of now, she isn’t sure who she will vote for in the general election.
“I’m surprised (at the results),” she said. “Jennifer’s been on before, and I know she’ll do a good job."
Cochran, who was appointed in 2013 and re-elected later that year, is one of two council veterans who were up for election in the primary.
Mike Canterbury, another primary candidate, currently serves on council, but ended up with 109 votes.
Canterbury was appointed earlier this year to fill the space left when former-councilwoman Chris Knisely moved into the role of council president.
“Certainly, it’s different the second time because I feel like I didn’t have to put in as much of an effort now that I’m an incumbent,” Cochran said.
But she also said, with three other non-Democrat candidates in the mix, she can’t be too certain.
“We’ve still got some time to go before the general elections, of course,” she said. “It will be interesting to see what those candidates bring to the table.”
The candidates will go up against Republican contenders Aaron T. Dauterman, an Ohio University junior studying communications, and C.J. Fogarty, a sophomore studying history, as well as independent candidate Patrick C. McGee, for the three open spots on Athens City Council.
The general elections will take place Tuesday, Nov. 3.
The other ballot measure up for vote during the primary elections was a renewal of a tax supporting children services. That measure passed by a vote of 1,891 to 633, about 75 percent of the vote.
The tax is set for an amount “not exceeding” 30 cents for every $100 earned. It will go into effect next year and will be in place for 10 years before having to be renewed.
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Megan Henry, Alisa Warren and Taylor Maple contributed to this report.
